Motor hoist



July 8, 1958 E. T. SHERMAN MOTOR HOIST Filed Oct. 14, 1957 v FIG-l FIG-3ATTORNEYS Unit d Sta e Patent v MOTOR HOIST Ernest T. Sherman, Dayton,Ohio Application October 14, 1957, Serial No- 689,977 4 Claims. 01.214-374) This invention relates to a motor hoist and transportingdevice, and particularly to such hoists and devices adapted for use withoutboard motors and the like.

Outboard motors, as is known, are'mounted at the rear of boats on theoutside thereof and are generally supported on the boat by clamps thatengage over the top'edge of the boat so that the motor can be firmlyclamped to the back of the boat.

Small motors of this type, up to, say, 7 /2 horsepower or so, do notpresent any particular problems in connection with removing the motorfrom the boat or installing it thereon because such motors-are notparticularly heavy. However, motors 'of this nature are becoming larger,and it is not uncommon at the present time to find outboard motorswithhorsepowers running from 2-5 up to 50. Outboard motors of this size arenot only dimensionally rather large but are also quite heavy, being from150 to 250 pounds in weight. These motors are too large and heavy to beremoved safely by hand.

With this in mind, it is a particular object of the present invention toprovide a device particularly adapted for'permitting the easy removaland installation of outboard motors of large sizes thereby eliminatingthe heavy labor as well as the risk involved in handling such motors.

A particular object of this invention is the provision of a motor hoistand transporting device which will permit the removal and installationof even heavy motors, particularly outboard motors, by a single person.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a motorhoist and transporting device which is light and which is simple inconstruction, thereby permitting manufacture at low cost.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a motor hoist andtransporting device which is adapted for use with various types ofmotors, thereby having substantially universal application.

' Another object of this invention is the provision of a motorsupporting device, particularly for outboard motors, in which the motorcan readily belowered into a test tank to be run under load.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will becomemore apparent uponreference to the following specification taken inconnection. with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Y

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a motor hoist and transportingdevice according to a preferred embodiment of my invention,

Figure 2 is a view looking in at the rear cally' movable panel of thedevice,

' Figure 3 is a sectional view indicated by line3-3 on Figure 2 showinga ratchet mechanism associated with a clamping strap forming a part ofthe device,

"Figure 4 is a perspective view of the portion of the device inside thedot dash circle marked 4 in Figure 1, -Figure 5' is a fragmentaryperspective view showing of the vertiwiththe 'vertically movable panel,

the support for the lower end of the lift screw associated r 2,842,274Patented July 8, 1958 Figure 6 is a plan sectional view indicated byline 66 on Figure 2' showing the strap forming a part of the devicewhich can be used for clamping motors to the panel, and

Figure 7 is a sectional view indicated by line 77 on Figure 2 showingthe drive arrangement for the elevating screw for the verticallyslidable panel. Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, thedevice, as will be seen in Figure 1, comprises a tubular frame 10 whichmay be made up of, say, 1%? or 1 /1" conduit and with the top part ofthe frame bent back as at 12 to form a handle and with the bottom partof the frame bent forwardly as at 14 to provide a supporting base.

Extending transversely of the frame near the bottom thereof is an axle16 having supporting wheels 18 rotatably mounted on the opposite endsthereof. The wheels 18 are located so that the center of gravity of theunloaded device is forwardly thereof so that the device will stand in anupright position even without a motor mounted thereon.

Extending transversely between the'vertical side members of frame 10 isa panel 20 which may be formed of wood, say, 1%" plywood, and which isabout 20" square. Panel 29 has attached thereto toward the bottom infront a pair of blocks 22 that carry rollers 24 that engage the siderails of the frame. Support straps 26 may be provided that engage theouter ends of the axles on which rollers 24 are mounted, and whichstraps extend around the back of the panel to be retained in position bythe same bolts 28 that mount the blocks 22 on the panel.

Similar roller and supporting strap structures are located at 30 towardthe upper edge of the panel 20 except that the rollers in the case ofthe devices 30 engage the backs of the side rails of the frame.

The panel 20 is vertically movable in the frame by means of a verticallyextending lift screw 32 located behind the panel and having its lowerend received in a socket member 34 attached to axle 16. A pin 36 retainsthe screw in place in the socket and prevents rotation of the screw.

On the back of the panel 20 is mounted a metal box 38 that may be madeup of two pieces of angle iron welded together, for example, and throughwhich box the screw 32 extends. Within the boxthere is threaded to thescrew a first bevel gear 40 and meshing therewith is a second bevel gear42 that is mounted on a crank element 44 that has a handle on theoutside of box 38. A thrust bearing 46 is positioned adjacent bevel gear40 so that this gear is relatively free running. It will be evident thatoperation of crank element 44 will cause either upward or downwardmovement of panel 20 in frame 10 and that this can be readilyaccomplished even tion for engaging substantially any .type of outboardmotor. With motors having no bars of this nature, there.

are generally other projections which can be engaged by hooks or thelike carried on the panel so that the motor can be supported thereon.

In general, such motors have a lower portion 56 ad-;

jacent the propeller 58, and this lower portion 56-rests against acushion 60 on the face of the panel towardthe bottom, and there may beprovided a-notch 62 alongzthe' bottom edge for engaging a portion of thestructure of the motor whereby the motor is prevented from tilting onthe panel.

For motors that might be lacking in any sort of loops or bars thatcould. be engaged by hooks of the nature referred to, there ispractically always on overhanging portion on the motor that can beengaged by. the top edge of the panel so that the motor can be lifted bymoving the panel upwardly. For motors of this nature, means are providedfor clamping the motors to the panel in the front of a length of strongstrap, which may advantageously be heavy webbing or the like, and whichstrap is indicated at '70 in Figures 1, 2 and 6. Stray 70 has one endattached to a shaft 72 behind the panel that is rotatable in the anglebrakes 74 and 76, also mounted on the panel. The webbing extends fromthe shaft through one of a pair of spaced apertures 78 provided in thepanel and returns through the other thereof, after being passed aroundthe motor, and the strap can then be tightened by placing the free endbetween the shaft and the portion of the strap leading therefrom andthen winding both ends of the strap about the shaft, as illustrated inFigure 6.

The turning of shaft 72 may be accomplished by the use of a ratchetwrench 80 which can be permanently attached to the shaft, if so desired.When the shaft is rotated to tighten the strap up, a ratchet mechanism82, as illustrated in Figure 3, is provided for holding the shaft in itsadjusted position. This rachet mechanism can readily be released so thatthe strap can be removed from about the motor which it supports.

In employing the hoisting device with the motor illustrated in Figure 1,the device would be positioned so that the hooks 54 engage the eyes orstraps or bars 52 of the motor and thereupon the clamps 84 connectingthe motor with the boat would be released and then crank 44 would beoperated to raise the panel and the motor attached thereto vertically,thus disengaging the motor from the boat, and whereupon the hoistingmechanism could readily be tilted on its wheels 18 and the motortransported wherever desired.

The motor, when supported as illustrated in Figure l, is in positionwhere most parts of the motor are accessible for being worked on, butshould it be desired to obtain access to the side of the motor adjacentthe panel, or to place the motor in a test tank to be run under load, asecond hoisting device could be employed by bringing the panel of thesecond hoisting device beneath the clamps 84 and then raising the secondpanel upwardly so that the motor could be clamped thereto. The motorcould then be lifted off the first hoisting device and this would exposethe opposite side of the motor and also would permit the motor to beraised on the second hoisting device and carried over the edge of a testtank and then lowered therein so that the motor could be operated underload.

In utilizing two hoisting devices in the manner described, it might bepreferable for the base portion of the second hoisting device to havethe forward transversely extending portion, indicated at 90 in Figure 1,cut away so that the base portions of the two hoisting devices could bemoved into overlapping relation, thereby permitting the panels of thetwo devices both to engage the motor at one time.

By the present invention even the very heaviest of outboard motors caneasily be handled by a single individual and all necessary work such asremoving boats and installing on boats, overhauling, and testing can bedone without requiring any additional help.

While normally the pipe or conduit forming the frame 10 is sufficientlystrong to support any loads imposed thereon, it may be preferred toprovide braces 92 in the corner between the vertical side parts and thebase part thereof and which may take the form of either brace rods orgusset plates whereby the frame can. be madestrong 4 t enough to supporteven the heaviest of outboard motors, or similarloads.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modificationin order to adapt it to different usages and conditions; and,accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within thisinvention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a hoisting and transporting device; a tubular frame comprising alength of pipe or conduit having its ends brought together and formed soas to provide for laterally spaced vertically extending side rails, aU-shaped base extending forwardly from the bottom of the side rails, anda U-shaped handle extending rearwardly from the tops of the side rails,a panel extending transversely between the side rails, roller meanstoward the lower and upper edges of the panel engaging the front andback sides of the side rails, an axle attached to the side rails on theback sides thereof and toward the bottom, wheels on the endsof the axle,said wheels being so positioned that the device will set uprightthereon, a screw having its lower end supported on the axle andextending upwardly behind the panel, a frame connected with the panelthrough which the screw extends, gear means in the frame threaded to thescrew, means carried by the said frame for rotating the gear meanswhereby the panel can be moved vertically between the said side rails,and means carried by the panel for supporting engagement with anoutboard motor, said means comprising hooks attached to the panel andadapted for engaging the towing line loops provided on the motor.

2. In a hoisting and transporting device; a tubular frame comprising alength of pipe or conduit having its ends brought together and formed soas to provide for laterally spaced vertically extending side rails, aU-shaped base extending forwardly from the bottom of the side rails, anda U-shaped handle extending rearwardly from the tops of the side rails,a panel extending transversely between the side rails, roller meanstoward the lower and upper edges of the panel engaging the front andback sides of the side rails, an axle attached to the side rails on theback sides thereof and toward the bottom, wheels on the ends of theaxle, said wheels being so positioned that the device will set uprightthereon, a screw having its lower end supported on the axle andextending upwardly behind the panel, a frame connected with the panelthrough which the screw extends, gear means in the frame threaded to thescrew, means carried by the said frame for rotating the gear meanswhereby the panel can be moved vertically between the said side rails,and means carried by the panel for supporting engagement with anoutboard motor, said means comprising hooks attached to the panel andadapted for engaging the towing line loops provided on the motor, therebeing notch means in the bottom edge of said panel for engaging aportion of the motor to prevent tilting thereof on-the panel.

3. In a hoisting and transporting device; a tubular frame comprising alength of pipe 01' conduit having its ends brought together and formedso as to provide for laterally spaced vertically extending side rails, aU-shaped base extending forwardly from the bottom of the side rails, anda U-shaped handle extending rearwardly from the tops of the side rails,a panel extending transversely between the side rails, roller meanstoward the lower and upper edges of the panel engaging the front andback sides of the side rails, an axle attached to the side rails on theback sides thereof and toward the bottom, wheels on the ends of theaxle, said wheels being so positioned that the device will set uprightthereon, a screw having its lower end supported on the axle andextending upwardly behind the panel, a frame connected with the panelthrough which the screw extends, gear means in the frame threaded tothescrew, means carried by the said frame for rotating the gear meanswhereby the panel can be moved vertically between the said side rails,and means carried by the panel for supporting engagement with anoutboard motor, said means comprising a shaft rotatably mounted on avertical axis on the back of said panel, a length of webbing or straphaving one end attached to said shaft, and spaced apertures in the panelthrough which the webbing or strap can be passed to embrace a motor,said shaft being provided with a rachet whereby the strap or webbing canbe drawn up tight around a motor to support the same on the panel.

4. In a hoisting and transporting device; a frame comprising laterallyspaced vertically extending side rails, base means rigid with andextending forwardly from the bottom ends of the side rails, handle meansextending rearwardly from the tops of the side rails, a panel extendingtransversely between the side rails, roller means toward the lower andupper edges of the panel engaging the front and back sides of the siderails, an axle attached to the side rails on the back sides thereof andtoward the bottom, said handle means and axle means holding the siderails in fixed spaced relation, wheels on the ends of the axle, saidwheels being so positioned that the device will set upright thereon, ascrew having its lower end sup- References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,790,711 Johnston Feb. 3, 1931 2,484,227Houket a1. Oct. 11, 1949 2,514,825 Zenko July 11, 1950 2,598,489 Bayeret a1 May 27, 1952 2,721,085 Powell Oct. 18, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS118,906 Australia Sept. 4, 1944

